Champions prove far too classy for limited Castlegar

Date Published: {J}

Clarinbridge 0-23

Castlegar 1-8

Cian O’Connell at Pearse Stadium

TRADITION alone ensures Castlegar bring hope and expectation into every championship campaign, but the grim current reality means the aristocrats of the Galway game are simply scrambling for survival in the top flight.

Sunday’s Pearse Stadium encounter with All-Ireland club champions Clarinbridge fell in the must win category for Cashel, who still knew that results elsewhere had to fall their way so that a dreaded relegation scrap could be avoided.

But from early on it was apparent that they were going to be comprehensively defeated and this reveral was as emphatic as the scoreline suggests. Clarinbridge weren’t even required to be at their best, but a string of industrious individual displays left them in control throughout.

David Forde anchored the Clarinbridge defence superbly, Barry Daly put in a considerable shift at centrefield, while Alan Kerins and Eoin Forde offered a genuine and pacy threat in a fluid attacking unit. Castlegar couldn’t cope, especially after the break, when all they were really doing was attempting to keep a semblance of respectability on the final outcome.

Donal Barry’s smashing goal 10 minutes from the end was merely a consolation because by then Clarinbridge were running riot scoring from a variety of distances and angles as Castlegar suffered another crushing loss.

A forgettable first-half was devoid of any suspense or drama and it was extremely dull, not that it bothered Clarinbridge, who were always dominant. At the outset, Castlegar’s shot selection was atrocious as they sought to use the breeze to force efforts over from distance. Cashel were in distress with Clarinbridge slightly more efficient as they hit three points in the first 10 minutes.

An Eanna Murphy point from play was sandwiched between two Mark Kerins frees and even though Cashel were battling, they weren’t threatening Clarinbridge in a meaningful way.

Dean Higgins, accurate from frees, terminated an 18 minute search for a Cashel score and while Mark Kerins responded with two for the ‘Bridge, finally there were signs that a contest might happen. Higgins (2) and Mairtin Cullinane trimmed the deficit down to the minimum as half-time edged closer, but that was as close as Cashel got. Daly was motoring smoothly, making incisive darts from the middle and Galway’s All Ireland under 21 winning captain and Murphy shot points to nudge Clarinbridge 0-7 to 0-4 ahead at the turnaround.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.